Despite Mal’s insistent protests that Serenity wasn’t a democracy the crew voted six to two in favor of celebrating Christmas. Jayne was Mal’s lone support, grumbling something about wasting money on people he barely liked before skulking off to his room.

Two days later, as Kaylee and Shepard Book tried their best to decorate the common room with some twinkly lights and gaudy baubles they picked up at port the day before, Jayne strode in with several horribly wrapped packages and dumped them on the floor at the foot of the tiny flocked tree.

“Maybe I like ya’ll a bit,” he said with a smirk.

“Hmph,” Mal scoffed from the corner.

“Don’t be such a Scrooge, Cap’n,” Kaylee said.

That night Mal slipped into the common room as quietly as he could. Carefully, he laid out eight small boxes covered in brown paper and tied with twine. He arranged them neatly with the other gifts around the little tree then leaned back on his heels with a sigh.